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Our Social Media Policy
Our Commenting Guidelines For Social Media
Welcome to an official social media account sponsored by a department of Porter County Government. Our sponsored social media accounts and pages are a family-friendly outlet to promote our agency's activities, events and programs. We encourage you to ask questions and share comments on content. Our social media team monitors Porter County Government social media accounts but is not responsible for content generated by users. We accept the majority of comments but are not obligated to respond to comments.
Our social media team generally monitor comments during the department's normal business hours. If a request for service is posted outside of the department's normal business hours, it may be responded to on the next business day. In the case of an emergency, users should contact 911.
All content on Porter County Government social media accounts is subject to the Indiana Access To Public Records Act, the Freedom of Information Act, and applicable portions of other federal and state record retention laws. If you choose to comment on or send a message to a Porter County Government social media account, you should not expect or assume privacy. All comments and messages, including edited, hidden or deleted content is captured, archived and subject to Indiana Public Records Act and Freedom of Information Act requests.
We may hide and/or remove comments that include the following:
• Obscene, profane, rude or vulgar language or images
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• Contests, raffles, sweepstakes and promotions
We do not discriminate against any views but reserve the right to hide and/or delete comments that violate the above policies or that are deemed inappropriate. The Porter County Government social media team reserves the right to close comments at any time on any or all of our social media sites. Repeated violations of our comment policy may cause the author to be blocked from Porter County Government sponsored social media accounts. To advise Porter County Government staff of a user violation of the above policy, please email email@example.com or call (219) 465-3330 from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday.
If your comment is hidden or deleted, or you are blocked or banned from a Porter County Government social media site you have the right to appeal our decision in writing to Social Media Administrator, 155 Indiana Avenue, Suite 205, Valparaiso IN 46383.


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Mock Draft 7.0
Our latest mock draft of the season.
1. Indianapolis Colts: Stanford QB Andrew Luck
With a week left until the draft, Luck still looks like the guy.
2. Washington Redskins: Baylor QB Robert Griffin III
RG3 is the kind of athletic quarterback that would be an ideal fit in the Washington offense. He can make plays outside the pocket, throw on the run and create second lives with his legs.
ICONThe Browns have a tough decision on draft day.
3. Minnesota Vikings: Southern Cal OT Matt Kalil
Quarterback Christian Ponder has shown flashes in year one, but he needs to stay healthy. Therefore, bringing in the top offensive tackle prospect in the draft who has a chance to mature into a Pro Bowl-caliber lineman seems like an easy selection at three.
4. Cleveland Browns: Alabama RB Trent Richardson
With the top two quarterback prospects off the board, the Browns could opt for the safest offensive threat in the draft. You have to be able to run the football in the AFC North to have a chance and Richardson gives Cleveland that workhorse-type back.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: LSU CB Morris Claiborne
Tampa Bay has done a great job over the past two drafts improving the overall talent along its defensive line. Therefore, adding a playmaking corner who can capitalize on all the potential pressure is a must for this defense to take that next step.
6. St. Louis Rams Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon
Getting a big-play receiver for quarterback Sam Bradford is almost a must at this point. Blackmon can line up all over the offense and has the skill set to produce as a rookie.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Notre Dame WR Michael Floyd
Is there a team in the NFL in more need of an upgrade at the wide receiver position than the Jaguars? This might be a bit high for Floyd. However, he's got the talent to make plays on all levels of the field and fills a major need for the Jags at a position of major need.
8. Miami Dolphins: Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill
The Dolphins have received pretty average quarterback play over the past couple seasons and adding a talent like Tannehill who has the skill set to mature into a franchise QB could be too good to pass up at eight.
9. Carolina Panthers: Memphis DT Dontari Poe
The NFL Combine helped Poe as much as anyone. He's a massive kid with an elite combination of power, explosion and upside. His tape isn't great, but I think he's now a lock for the top 15.
10. Buffalo Bills: Iowa OT Riley Reiff
Reiff is an athletic tackle with good range off the edge, natural change of direction skills and has the ability to sit into his stance on contact. He needs to get stronger and fill out a bit more. However, this former tight end recruit has the type of athleticism and demeanor to mature into the kind of blind side protector the Bills are looking for.
ICONIt will be interesting to see where a talent like Coples falls.
11. Kansas City Chiefs: Boston College ILB Luke Kuechly
With the need at offensive tackle addressed in free agency the Chiefs can now look at one of the safest players available in the front seven. Kuechly is a tackling machine with good size, natural instincts and above-average athleticism. Is the kind of talent who can make an impact inside from day one.
12. Seattle Seahawks: North Carolina DL Quinton Coples
The Seahawks have a real unique blend of athletes on the defensive side of the ball and because of that it makes me think Coples would be able to fit right in and fill a number of roles at both DT and DE. Plus, Pete Carroll seems like the kind of coach that could get the most out of Coples's talent.
13. Arizona Cardinals: South Carolina OLB/DE Melvin Ingram
Ingram has the ability to play with his hand on the ground or rush off the edge from a two-point stance. He's a sudden pass rusher with natural change of direction skills, long arms and could offer some talent and versatility to the Cardinals defense on third down.
14. Dallas Cowboys: Stanford: OG David DeCastro
The idea of drafting an athlete like DeCastro and potentially playing him next to 2011 first-round pick Tyron Smith at left tackle has to sound mighty intriguing.
15. Philadelphia Eagles: Mississippi State DT Fletcher Cox
Cox is the kind of potential three-technique who can create behind the line of scrimmage and stop plays before they start. The Eagles don't have a huge need at DT, but Cox could still mature into a playmaker inside, at a position where Philly lacks an impact guy.
16. New York Jets: Alabama OLB Courtney Upshaw
Upshaw is a thick, powerful kid who can line up all over the Jets 34 front and get after the passer. He's got the power to win consistently on contact vs. both the run and pass game and would be the kind of "NFL ready" prospect the Jets would love to get in the middle of round one.
For the rest of the mock click to page two...

subset: commoncrawl


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The signal is a bit fuzzy
Every so often, a game comes along that gets attention for its basic mechanic alone. Signal Ops is one of those games, as it is a stealth game that shows the player up to four first-person views of playable characters at the same time. It isn't the most traditional stealth game by any means, and it's always refreshing to see something new in any genre.
Just as with any really new and interesting concept, however, it is natural to feel skeptical. You hope that all the planets align, all the ducks are in order, and the chickens are counted after they hatch. Signal Ops definitely has some of those planets, ducks, and chickens, but they're not all properly accounted for.
Signal Ops (PC)
Developer: Space Bullet Dynamic Corp.
Publisher: Space Bullet Dynamics Corp.
Released: March 28, 2013
Taking place in an underground bunker, Signal Ops has the player controlling field operatives to accomplish various espionage tasks to fulfill an organization's agenda. The plot isn't exactly engaging, but it does a good enough job of setting up the various missions and their objectives.
More impressive than the story itself is the writing and accompanying voice acting. The various NPCs have some witty lines that had me chuckling time and time again. The voice actors deliver these lines perfectly and really bring what would otherwise be random NPCs to life.
The character that the player controls is never actually on the battlefield, but instead remains in the bunker and commands other agents through various video feeds. This materializes some interesting ideas, like being able to receive faxed intel while still in the mission since it goes to the bunker and not to the battlefield. When something like this happens, the player can turn away from the screens and pick up the fax itself before going back to the mission, while the field operatives stand there waiting for commands.
The gameplay hook in Signal Ops is that the player can control up to four mercenaries while seeing their first-person perspectives all at the same time. The earlier missions will use only two or three characters at once, but by the fourth mission all four possible screens will be utilized. Each screen represents a different character and can be manually controlled by selecting the corresponding number key on the keyboard.
There are a total of six character classes, each with their own specialty. The Spy, for example, will not alert guards when in plain sight while the Wrench can unlock and lock doors. It is sometimes possible to strategically choose which classes to bring into the mission, but the Bolt class is always necessary.
The Bolt is in charge of the radio, which is the contextualized way of allowing the player to control these mercenaries from inside the bunker. If a character leaves the radio's radius (indicated by bright green lines on the ground), the signal becomes white noise and it becomes impossible to see where to go. A radio must always be tethered to a power source, or else its battery will be depleted. It is possible to issue a retreat command, which will walk the character back to the most recent power source, so not all hope is lost if the radio loses battery while transferring it to a new power source.
While the contextualized reason for the radio is nice, the mechanic itself is incredibly limiting and frustrating. It makes the game feel so confined and prevents any sort of exploration of the maps. It is, to put it bluntly, a big pain in the butt to lug around the radio and keep every character inside the radius at all times, sort of like a bad escort mission. If, for whatever reason, backtracking is required, this mechanic essentially doubles the amount of time required to move across the map, even with no enemies. It's easily the worst mechanic in the game, which is unfortunate considering that it is also the core mechanic of the game, overshadowing everything else due to its intrusiveness.
Characters not being directly controlled by the player can be given orders like move, follow, attack, or use their class's special action, in order to alleviate the monotony of individually moving each character. The AI pathing can be a bit wonky at times, with characters getting lost in enclosed areas of the map after being given the move or follow commands, but it's not usually too much of an issue.
There are nine missions in total, but each one is lengthy enough to justify the seemingly small number. Each mission gets more complex while progressing through the campaign, and quickly ramps up to a pretty intense level of difficulty. This is by no means an easy game, partly because of the Bolt's main mechanic and partly because of the game's laissez faire design when it comes to directing the player. There is definitely a lack of precise directions, especially when compared to most modern games, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Mission objectives are just precise enough for the player to get an idea of what to do, but actually accomplishing many of the objectives will take some critical thinking. It is a nice, refreshing change of pace from what I have come to expect from most games, even if I spent an embarrassingly long time figuring out how to complete some of the mission objectives.
Signal Ops is very much a stealth game, as confrontation with enemies is undesirable. The shooting mechanics are loose — bullets almost never travel straight. It is hard to tell if the shooting is intentionally bad to discourage it, or if those mechanics were just never nailed down. Approaching an enemy from behind allows the player to essentially say "stick'em up!" and force the NPC to drop their weapon and freeze in place. Other NPCs can see them and free them, as if each mission were a giant sneaky game of freeze tag.
If a character dies, they can be easily replaced by reinforcements after a short cooldown period. Reinforcements are limited in each mission, but losing a character is far from the end of a mission and removes a lot of the trial and error that drags down many stealth games. The player's characters can also be held at gunpoint, freezing them in place and forcing them to drop their weapons. Just as with the NPCs, it is possible to have another character walk up and free them from their frozen state, continuing the game of stealthy freeze tag.
Playing cooperatively, either locally or online, helps alleviate some of the problems, but one player is still going to have to keep on top of the Bolt class and make sure the radio is always moved. If playing local co-op, the second player can use an Xbox controller, but the controls are far from intuitive when using it. Playing online requires an IP address and possible port opening, making it anything but simple or even desirable.
It is very difficult to feel in complete control of a situation, which is strange considering that the player is technically in complete control of every situation. Controlling four characters at once, even with the ability to issue commands, is overwhelming and I never felt as if the whole concept really clicked with me.
The game certainly has a unique and beautiful art style, but just about everything else in Signal Ops feels incredibly stiff. Both animation and movement are far from fluid and give an overall unpolished feeling to the entire package. The game is clearly made with love and passion, but it does feel as if it could have used some extra time in the incubation chamber.
I have also seen the framerate drop significantly when playing offline, forcing me to restart the client in order to fix everything. It's not uncommon to be able to see through some walls. Characters don't get stuck in the geometry, but heads often clip through things and show the innards of the map. There is also a constant head bob while moving, which doesn't bother me personally but many others have voiced their disdain of the inability to turn it off.
Signal Ops is far from the game it could have been. The concept is great and for the most part delivers, but the Bolt character class and his job of carrying a radio does a lot of damage to the overall design. It feels incredibly restrictive, refusing to let the player go where they please and take their time getting there. It definitely has some moments of brilliance, but they are often quickly forgotten.


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"For seminal contributions to the development and application of quantum metrological methods, in particular of squeezed light sources and optical springs, enabling sensitive measurements beyond the standard quantum limit."
Background:Professor McClelland received a Bachelor of Science with Honours in 1977 and a Master of Science in 1982 from the University of Western Australia, and a Doctor of Philosophy in 1987 from the University of Otago. He is currently Professor of Physics, Head of the Department of Quantum Science and Director of the ANU Centre for Gravitational Physics at The Australian National University. He has worked in the field of gravitational wave detection for 20 years with an emphasis on quantum noise limited instrumentation, optical squeezing and opto-mechanics on the gram scale and above. He is principal investigator for Australia's partnership in the Advanced LIGO gravitational wave detection project. He actively pursues the application of techniques developed for this purpose to areas such as optical sensing for exploration and security and earth observation from space. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society, the Astronomical Society of Australia and the Australian Institute of Physics.
Eric Hudson, Chair; J.A. Stroscio; A. Mandelis; J. Musfeldt; W. Geerts


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Grab your elf ears, Dungeon Master''s guide, and 20-sided die, throw your pick to your Hobbit roadie and dig into some prog-rock shred.
Chops: Advanced
Theory: Intermediate
Lesson Overview:
• Learn how to "hammer-on from nowhere."
• Create long, legato phrases.
• Develop a deep appreciation for prog-rock keyboard solos.
Click here to download a printable PDF of this lesson's notation.
This month, we'll delve into all things progressive. Well...at least one thing.
Now, it's no secret that I loves me some prog-rock. Particularly of the old school variety–Yes, Jethro Tull, ELP, Rush, and Genesis have had a predominant position on my listening list and a profound influence on me as a musician. I mean, I can't get enough of dudes in costume with high voices singing 30-minute songs about elves, the plight of humanity, black holes, and the purple flying wolfhounds they saw while tripping. Some call it nerdy. I call it awesome.
But the metal-head-guitar maniac in me also longs for a little taste of a little weedily-weedily guitar stuff, too.
It wasn't too long before I noticed a lot of the keyboard parts in some of my favorite prog tunes were kinda crazy! So, I started figuring them out and playing them on the guitar for a challenge, both in technique and in ascertaining how to get them to sound right (i.e. position, technique, fingerings, etc…).
This month, I bring you an excerpt I transcribed from the keyboard solo to the Genesis tune "In the Cage," off their landmark Lamb Lies Down on Broadway album as played by Tony Banks. If you don't own this disc, go immediately and buy it. This is from a time when men were men, my friends. Even if they did dress up in red dresses and fox heads.
Anyway, a few notes on this keyboard-turned-guitar solo. Two techniques we'll be using profusely throughout will be traditional tapping and the "hammer on from nowhere" with the left hand. There's no right-hand picking to be found. A "hammer-on from nowhere" is simply done by striking the note with your fretting hand, thus sounding the note. All string crossings will be with this technique or with a tap, as notated.
The style of tapping in my version of this solo is one that I attempt to employ in my own playing and improvising, as well, which is to say, I really don't like to use tapping to sound tricky or as a "look at me" lick. In this adaptation of the Genesis keyboard solo, I think it's cool to use tapping in more of a melodic way and not to let the technique outshine the music it makes. The music always must come first. Our version of the "In the Cage" solo works wonders for adapting this mentality towards your own playing.
I used these particular techniques to execute the solo because I felt they sounded most like the original keyboard, an ARP Pro Soloist. Or about as much as a guitar can without being totally effected. Finding the right technique and positions and fingerings is probably the most difficult part of transcribing music from other instruments and translating them to guitar. I think it's a very valuable endeavor for everyone, and after you master this one, get out there and try a few prog-rock keyboard solos yourself!
So, grab your elf ears, Dungeon Master's guide, and 20-sided die, throw your pick to your Hobbit roadie and enjoy "In the Cage!"
Terry Syrek has been teaching guitar for over 25 years and is a senior faculty member of the National Guitar Workshop. He is the author of Shred Is Not Dead and continues to punish all comers with a combination of blistering speed, over-the-top distortion, and boyish charm. For more information, visit terrysyrek.com.


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Sometimes looking at the night sky can say more about the observer than the universe - at least that's how it feels when we're looking at clouds of dust and gas that remind us of a Rorschach inkblot test. This image was one of many sections of Spitzer's GLIMPSE360 panorama that were tweeted to us by the public last month, when we asked people to capture and name interesting things they found in our groundbreaking image of the galactic plane. We had some truly creative submissions, including "Star Scream," "Lonely Jellyfish," "Follow the Leader," and "Jabba the Hutt" going to show that people really can see anything in the clouds of dust and gas that weave their way through our galaxy.
This image was submitted by @kevinmgill, who named it "Nebula Does Not Approve." While we fully appreciate a good Grumpy Cat reference, we also showed it to the rest of the Spitzer public affairs team, who collectively have spotted a woolly mammoth, a fish, a raccoon, a Minecraft Creeper and a "cute coyote, cocking his head in a really inquisitive way." How about you? Do you see any of these, or does your imagination show you something entirely different?
You can connect with us on Twitter at @NASAspitzer or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/nasaspitzer.


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This meeting is being conducted utilizing teleconferencing and electronic means consistent with State of California Executive Order N-29-20 dated March 17, 2020, regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
The public may view the meeting live using the following remote options:
Teleconference Meeting Webinar
Telephone (Audio only)
(669) 900.6833 or (346) 248.7799 | 990 8681 6422
Webinar ID: 845 7314 9928
Copy and paste the webinar link into your internet browser if the webinar link does not work directly from the agenda.
Live Public Comments for Items on the Agenda
To provide oral public comments during the meeting, join the Zoom meeting by computer, mobile phone, or dial in number. On Zoom video conference by computer or mobile phone, use the "Raise Hand" feature. This will notify the moderator that you wish to speak during a specific item on the agenda or during non-agenda Public Comment. Members of the public will not be shown on video but will be able to speak when called upon. If joining the meeting using the Zoom dial-in number, you may raise your hand by pressing *9. Comments will be limited to three (3) minutes. No further comments will be entertained after the Mayor closes public comment.
Written Public Comments
Members of the public who wish to make public comments may submit their comments by email to be read aloud at the Planning Commission meeting. Email comments must be submitted to email@example.com by 5:00 p.m. the day of the Planning Commission meeting and be no more than 300 words. Any language beyond the 300 words shall not be read during the Planning Commission meeting. The counting of words, for the purposes of public comment submissions, shall follow the same standards as set forth in Elections Code § 9 (see Attachment A). Please note in your email subject line either "public comment" for non-agenda Public Comment or the agenda item number related to the comment. All email comments shall be subject to the same rules as would otherwise govern speaker comments at the Planning Commission meeting. Form correspondence of identical content signed by different individuals shall be read aloud only once during the comment period. Immediately prior to the reading of such correspondence, the name of each signatory shall be stated aloud.


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Office 2010 Public Beta
A Tour of the New User Experiences
While we can and will examine each of the Office 2010 applications in turn, I'm going to first focus on some of the user experiences that are common across the new application suite or, in some cases, apply to multiple applications. Each application in Office 2010, of course, has been improved in various ways, and some, like Outlook, even see major changes. But if you step back and look at the suite from a higher level, you'll see a number of changes that work consistently across various applications to provide a more cohesive overall experience.
This effort applies, quite literally, to everything related to Office 2010, from the new logo and icons, to the pricing and licensing, and to the actual applications themselves. In keeping with Microsoft's new Windows 7-inspired mantra, Office 2010 is simpler and more consistent, and it works well in a variety of scenarios, meeting the needs of markets as diverse as those for consumers and for high-end business intelligence work.
This is a delicate balance, and Microsoft's efforts to diversify its product offerings, generally by expanding the number of product editions, or SKUs (Stock Keeping Units), isn't always successful. (Witness Windows Vista.) But with Office 2010, the company has struck a nice balance, and for once I feel that the product lineup mix actually makes sense.
Logo and branding
For the first time since Office 2003, Microsoft has changed the Office logo, and this time it's a fairly major change. Compared to the Office 2003 and 2007 logo, the new Office 2010 logo is sharper and cleaner and, in Microsoft's words, more organic and less dated. The company did, however, stick with the core Office color, which is orange, and this color appears throughout the products, in various branding elements.
Each Office 2010 application also gets a fresh new icon, and these are particularly attractive. Each uses a unique color to denote the app in question, helping in establishing application identity, and each uses a single letter (like "W" for Word; Excel actually uses "XL") as a further cue.
The new Office 2010 user experience isn't limited to a new logo and new icons, however. When you launch an Office 2010 application, you're greeted with a new, animated splash screen. These animations have proven quite popular with users, much more so than Microsoft expected, in fact. The key, apparently, is that the animation communicates power and performance, while providing feedback about the application boot time. And in those rare instances where something goes wrong--such as when the user clicks the wrong taskbar button--a new close gadget lets them abort the application launch if they wish.
In Office 2007, each of the applications took on a light blue hue, and users could optionally choose from a whopping set of two additional color schemes, gray and black. Office 2010 tones down this coloring effect, removing issues where the blue UI actually detracted from the content being edited and, in some cases, visually skewed the color of graphics and charts in documents. This time around, the application UIs are more translucent on the top, providing a visual cue to the windows or desktop found beneath. And as with the individual application icons, each has a subtle color hint, mostly through the new File button (or pseudo-tab), helping to establish each application's identity.
When you click on the File button, you're presented with the most jarring aspect of the Office 2010 user experience, the new Backstage View, which acts much like the File menu from previous Office versions but takes up the full screen instead of opening in a window. Backstage view is going to prove controversial with users, I think, but it does provide a handy front-end to the actions you need to apply to the whole document--things like Print, Save, or Share--as well as application settings. And it carries over the color branding of each Office app for consistency's sake.
In addition to adding the ribbon to all Office applications in the 2010 versions, Microsoft has also evolved the ribbon control into a third generation version (the second-gen version is included with Windows 7) that cleans up the UI, offers better organization of ribbon tabs (where the most-often-used tabs are always on the left), and offers better consistency between applications.
Other features that span multiple applications
A number of new Office 2010 features span numerous applications. Some of the more interesting include:
Customizable ribbon
The improved Office 2010 ribbon is available across all Office applications now, including Outlook, and you can customize existing tabs or create your own.
Paste Options
A new Paste Options smart tag-like pop-up appears whenever you past text into Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, or Publisher 2010, providing you with an in-place, on-the-fly way to preview paste results, change the way paste works or change the default paste settings. This is a handy little tool that I find myself using regularly, and touch typists will appreciate that it's completely keyboard controllable, if that's what you want. (Just tap CTRL.)
Picture editing
Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Publisher include inline picture editing so you can import a photo or other image into a document and then do your editing right in Office, thanks to a new Picture Tools: Format tab. Included on this tab are various image and color corrections, artistic effects, borders, layouts, and more.
Word, Publisher and OneNote 2010 all support some form of live coauthoring capability. In Word and Publisher, you can edit a document or presentation simultaneously with one or more colleagues, assuming you all have a Microsoft-oriented instant messaging application. With OneNote, you can share notebooks with others using the standard application or the Office Web App version. I haven't had time to test this feature, but I do doubt that many people will want to simultaneously edit documents in real time.
OpenType typography
Both Word and Publisher 2010 include support for expressive OpenType fonts, which can include ligatures, stylistic sets, kerning, and other unique typographic niceties.
New product editions, new ways to buy
Looking at the Office 2010 product edition lineup, you see that Microsoft is actually doing a decent job of matching this lineup to the diverse customer groups that use Office every day. Particularly prominent and obvious here is the emphasis on home users, or consumers. Microsoft says that about 50 percent of Office users, or over 250 million people, use Office at home. "Office provides tools for your entire life," says Justin Hutchinson, the director of product management for Microsoft's consumer Office offerings. "It's not just for work."
There are now three Office product editions that target consumers. These include:
Office 2010 Home and Student. This core consumer offering includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote and is largely identical to its Office 2007 predecessor.
Office 2010 Home and Business. New to Office 2010, this edition adds Microsoft Outlook 2010 to the mix.
Office 2010 Professional. This high-end Office version, which also targets non-enterprise businesses, includes all of the applications from Office Home and Business and adds Access and Publisher.
Today, consumers can purchase Office with a new PC or buy it at retail (including electronic downloads from the Microsoft Store). But Microsoft will be enhancing purchasing options in Office 2010 to include new Click To Run and Product Key Card offerings.
Click To Run lets people download a virtualized version of Office 2010 from the Office.com web site. This Office version can begin running in 2 or 3 minutes, depending on your connection, and because it's virtualized, you can run Office 2010 side-by-side with your current Office version. (It's based on Application Virtualization, or App-V, technology.) Product Key Card ships with no media but unlocks a trial version of Office that shipped on a new PC. This is a good offering for netbooks, because they typically ship without an optical drive.
Speaking of new PCs, Microsoft will also offer a new Office edition aimed at new PCs. This is called...
Office 2010 Starter. This very low-end Office version includes stripped-down versions of Word (called Word Starter) and Excel (Excel Starter) only. These applications include a permanent taskbar and are ad supported. Microsoft is replacing Microsoft Works with this offering, and will provide ways for users to upgrade to better Office versions electronically, or by using a Product Key Card.
Office 2010 Starter is not trialware, but the apps it includes do not include all of the features found in the other editions. For example, Word Starter can't create a table of contents, offers no reviewing features, includes no smart art, and so on. Small ads appear in the lower part of the taskbar.
As for businesses, there are essentially two product editions to consider, in addition to the previously mentioned Professional edition. These include:
Office 2010 Standard. Available only via volume licensing, this version includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Publisher. It also includes access to internally hosted versions of the Outlook Web Applications (via SharePoint 2010).
Office 2010 Professional Pro. Also available only via volume licensing, this version builds on the Standard edition and adds Microsoft Outlook 2010 with Business Contact Manager, Access 2010, InfoPath 2010, Microsoft Communicator, and SharePoint Workspace 2010.
In addition to the suite bundles, Microsoft will continue to sell all of the individual Office applications separately. And there are certainly Office family applications that will only be made available individually, including Visio Standard, Visio Professional, and Visio Premium (new to 2010).
But wait, there's more...
In the next part of this overview, I will focus on the application-specific changes to individual Office applications. Stay tuned...
Continue to Part 3: Office for Consumers: Starter Edition & Click-2-Run


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Music has maintained an active and vital presence at Santa Clara University since 1851, when the first piano was brought to campus by Father Nobili. Today, the Department of Music serves almost one hundred majors and minors and engages a diverse range of students across many academic disciplines. Our distinguished faculty are active scholars and performers in a range of disciplines both on campus and around the world.
Our many ensembles provide opportunities for students of all majors to perform a diverse repertoire of music at a high artistic level under the leadership of inspiring conductors and directors.
Our curriculum is designed to provide students of diverse backgrounds with the skills necessary not only to understand and to perform music, but also to appreciate music's role in human history and its potential to enhance the lives of all people.
Our quarterly department ensemble concerts and regular student and faculty recitals create a rich season of artistic events widely attended by the campus and local communities. The highly successful Music at Noon concert series and music department sponsored festivals foster collaboration between students, faculty, and guest artists who come together to create and share new musical art. SCU Presents coordinates numerous productions by the Department of Music and the Department of Theater and Dance, and offers a full list of upcoming events for the season. Please visit our News and Events page to learn more.


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AQHA Mission Statement
AQHA Mission Statement
AQHA Mission Statement
- To record and preserve the pedigree of the American Quarter Horse while maintaining the integrity of the breed and welfare of its horses.
- To provide beneficial services for its members which enhance and encourage American Quarter Horse ownership and participation.
- To develop diverse educational programs, material and curriculum that will position AQHA as the leading resource organization in the equine industry.
- To generate growth of AQHA membership via the marketing, promotion, advertising and publicity of the American Quarter Horse.
- To ensure the American Quarter Horse is treated humanely, with dignity, respect and compassion at all times.
The American Quarter Horse established a bold reputation as the greatest cattle roundup and trail driving horse in history and would never be forgotten by early American racing enthusiasts. To ensure the unique qualities of this breed did not perish, a group of American Quarter Horse enthusiasts met in 1940 in Fort Worth, Texas, to establish what was to become the largest equine breed registry in the world, the American Quarter Horse Association.
Located in Amarillo, Texas, AQHA has registered more than 6 million American Quarter Horses and serves more than 230,000 members worldwide. AQHA functions as the official record keeping and governing body of the American Quarter Horse industry. AQHA records all American Quarter Horse ownership, processes approved show and race results, catalogs performance and produce data on all American Quarter Horses, maintains association funds and publicizes the American Quarter Horse industry.
In addition, AQHA maintains current statistics on ownership in each state and country, as well as American Quarter Horse population figures. AQHA's role in preserving the integrity of the breed is expanding on a daily basis. Whether American Quarter Horses are still being used in traditional ranching operations, for showing, racing or pleasure, AQHA strives to provide services beneficial to all Association members and ultimately the American Quarter Horse.


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I'm still trying to figure out all that happened while I was sleeping.
The timeline seems to look like this:
(As the list becomes longer, I'm starting to highlights the latest entries for the benefit or readers returning.)
- July 2010 - RepRap blog posting about the heated conveyor belt
- August 2011 - Makerbot Industries receives $10M venture capital funding. Applied for patent on heated conveyor belt.
- November 2011 - Makerbot Industries filed for a patent on a heated conveyor belt.
- February 2012 - New TOS of Thingiverse
- Thingiverse blog post about the TOS. Only one commenter "madscifi" asked about the 3.2 attribution clause but wasn't answered.
- July 2012 - Makerbot gets the patent. Their own design is highly flawed and no longer included in the next 2 generations
- September 2012 - Replicator II announced as a closed source design.
- September 2012 - Blog posting about the Replicator II being closed source, later added TOS change by Josef Prusa (Twitter)
- Included ".thing" file format turns out to be just a .zip of multiple .stl and .obj files to be printed.
- "Occupy Thingiverse Test cube" posted on Thingiverse, more attention to TOS
- Josef Prusa Google+ posting
- Tony Buser (Makerbot Industries) posting on Google+ that the TOS didn't chance in 8 month.
- Thingiverse blog post, clarifying that the TOS change was in february
- First thoughts about developing an alternative to Thingiverse. (0,1,2,3,4,5,brainstorming,cubehero,githubiverse,Thingiverse2Github converter, SKDB)
- More "occupy Thingiverse" objects popping up all the time.
- The story got slashdottet.
- Blog posting by Makerbot Industries- They are "working out" just how open source they can make the Replicator II, lots about their intentions, no clear work about the specific TOS sentence.
- As a response the blog post by Josef Prusa gets updated.
- Thingiverse replacement taking some shape in the comments of a G+ posting. Who wants to contribute? Alternatives are seldomly a bad thing.
- Reaction of Hoeken (RRRF and formerly MBI)
- Hackaday posting about it
- It looks like at least the software is just a thin, closed source UI that calls open source Skeinforge or their new (open source) "Miracle-Grue".
- This blog entry is on Hacker News and visitor numbers explode. I'm trying to stay more non-POV here.
- Looks like the new closed-source software can be tricked into working with older MBI printer.
- New phrase coined "Makerbotgate".
- Adrien Bowyers (RepRap) views on open and closed source printers
- We hit 13'000 visitors on this blog posting
- Make Magazine blogs about the Closed Source issue for the second time.
- Some interesting posts by Openalia
- CNET interviewed Josef Prusa, waiting for response from MBI before publishing.
- New Blog post from Makerbot Industries
- Blog post of Josef Prusa gets updated
- So does Openalia.
- MBI goes to explaining the TOS crossposed in the Thingiverse blog
- CNET interview with Josef Prusa, quoting Zach "Hoeken" Smith now online
- Make magazine inverviews key players about this issue
- Bre Pettis talk "Challenges of Open Source Consumer Products" on the Open Hardware Summit is recorded on ustream (session 3 at 1:20) Josef Prusa is in session 2 at 1:28 .
- Make magazine has a transcrips of the Bre Pettis talk.
- We hit the 15'000 reader mark while I was on vacation.
- ...
Makerbot Industries, owner of Thingiverse updated their TOS.
Previously they had a paragraph
"Thingiverse.com does not claim ownership of the materials you post, upload, input or submit to the Thingiverse.com site."
The current TOS states a lot of granted rights but they are all limited to
"solely for the purposes of including your User Content in the Site and Services".
Seems fine to me.
What is interesting is the next sentence:
" You agree to irrevocably waive (and cause to be waived) any claims and assertions of moral rights or attribution with respect to your User Content."
I can't find a reason for this one in the february blog posting about the TOS.
The recent blog posting reassures us that attribution is done. In the latest blog post by their lawyer the moral rights part is explained as being able to create conflicts with the chosen Creative Commons license and the license given for the specific purpose of hosting the design on Thingiverse at all.
Of cause being legal language of a foreign jusisdiction and one based on common law (wich is still a very strange concept to me), I may misunderstand this part.
It seems that moral rights in the US are separate from copyright and thus not affected by Creative Commons. However why whould you waive any but the "right to the integrity of the work"? Why the moral right of attribution, of anonymous and pseudonymous publication?
Can you even do that if you are not the only author?
- Can a person from a country such as German where waiving your moral right or attribution is by law impossible even use Thingiverse? (I think yes but I'm no lawyer.)
"Thingiverse ... and services" can include any future service. (But that is nothing to deal with now.)" - "Company provides a service for users to share digital designs that can be printed on 3D printers to create physical objects"- How do the two licenses granted in the TOS work out if you are not the (only) author?
The second thing that happened is that a "Replicator II" was announced and that it was widely seen as closed source.
I'm fine with it being closed source. (As long as they finally start to behave like it's a product that has support and warrenty and is supposed to work and if it doesn't work reliably it gets repaired, recalled, refunded or reimbursed.)
I'm not fine if they used designs that where published with Creative Commons Share-Alike or Attribution (or plain GPL) because none of these two seem to happen. Inheriting from the "Replicator" and thus from "Thing-o-Matic", "Cupcake" and lots of Reprap related designs this is very likely however no such violation is found as of yet (no one has a Replicator II yet) and there is only a very vague reaction about this part from Makerbot Industries.
The latest MBI blog posting states that they are working out "how open source" they can make it.
After that I got a statement that the software is just one thin, closed source GUI. Also the new .thing file format is not only just a renamed .zip containing standard STL and OBJ files but also some JSON about the placement of these objects in the build volume. A libthing for using it will probably be published.
No word about design files of the hardware.
We'll have to see what parts and how much of the hardware will be in the open source and what exactly the license will be. The software part has now been answered.
It is very interesting to follow the different reactions and strands of discussions popping up and causing wider and wider ripple on the internet.
If you find errors or inaccuracies in this posting, please contact me.


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Vote in the 2020 U.S. Elections!
In order to vote in the November 2020 elections, all overseas U.S. citizens need to have completed a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) in 2020. Whether you are a first-time voter or have already received ballots and voted absentee in past elections, you must complete an FPCA each year to participate in elections as an overseas absentee voter.
Registering to Vote and submitting a ballot is fast, easy, and can be done from anywhere in the world! Follow a few simple steps to vote in the 2020 U.S. elections:
- Register to vote: Start by confirming your voter registration with your state. Some states require absentee voters to register annually, so you may need to re-register. Go to gov to connect to your state's voter portal to register to vote, request a ballot, and more.
- Request Your Ballot: Most states provide the option to request ballots through their state election portals, which you can easily access via FVAP.gov. You can also choose to complete a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). The completion of the FPCA allows you to request absentee ballots for all elections for federal offices (President, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House of Representatives), including primaries and special elections, during the calendar year in which it is submitted. FPCA forms that are correctly filled out and include a signature and date are accepted by all local election officials in every U.S. state and territory. FVAP's easy online assistant can assist you with completing the FPCA.Whether you request your ballot through your state's portal or the FPCA, we encourage you to select the option to receive your ballot electronically (by email, internet download, or fax) when available. This is the fastest way to get your ballot and ensures you have it in time to return a completed form before your state's deadline.
- Receive and Complete Your Ballot: States are required to send out ballots 45 days before a regular election for federal office, and states generally send out ballots at least 30 days before primary elections. Most states allow you to confirm your ballot delivery online.
- Return Your Completed, Signed Ballot: Some states allow you to return your completed ballot electronically. If your state requires you to return paper voting forms or ballots to local election officials by mail, you can do so through international mail, professional courier service, or by dropping them off at the consular booth every Wednesday from 11am -12pm. If you need to drop off your ballot outside these hours, please email Consular firstname.lastname@example.com to request a specific date/time. We will do our best to accommodate this but note that appointments are limited due to reduced staffing. Additionally, you will need to place your ballots in postage paid return envelopes or in envelopes bearing sufficient U.S. postage, for them to be delivered to the proper local election authorities once received by the U.S. sorting facility.If you plan to use the diplomatic pouch, drop off your ballots to the American Citizens Services section by September 10. Please note that all visitors to the Embassy are subject to security screening and you will not be permitted to bring electronic devices, including cell phones, inside the facility. It can take up to six weeks for mail to reach its destination if sent by an embassy or consulate via diplomatic pouch. All overseas U.S. citizens are advised to submit their forms and ballots accordingly. Ballots will be received and forwarded whenever submitted but you may want to consider using a courier service if submitting your ballot close to or after the stated delivery time for pouch mail.
- Researching the Candidates and Issues: Online Resources. Go to the FVAP links page for helpful resources to aid your research of candidates and issues. Non-partisan information about candidates, their voting records, and their positions on issues are widely available and easy to obtain online. You can also read national and hometown newspapers online or search the internet to locate articles and information. For information about election dates and deadlines, subscribe to FVAP's Voting Alerts (email@example.com). FVAP also shares Voting Alerts via Facebook (@DODFVAP), Twitter (@FVAP), and Instagram (@fvapgov).
Learn more at the Federal Voting Assistance Program's (FVAP) website, FVAP.gov. If you have any questions about registering to vote overseas, please contact the Embassy at email@example.com
Remember, your vote counts!


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RAF Database Global Search:
If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed.
All registrations are subject to review to prevent board spammers.
Hello, i found this post (below) on archived RAF commands forum , If "wayne" is still searching info on DV308, i can help, we built a memorial in remembrance of DV 308 where he crash, I can send pictures etc.... Rgds Gerard Werion Old post : "" Author: Wayne Time Stamp: 16:28:30 22 February 2007 Post: Hello,I am looking for help with regards to the crash location of Lancaster DV308 SR-V of 101 Sqn. on the night of 1/2 Jan 1944. And if this aicraft was shotdown? then by who? As far as i am aware two of the crew survived and were taken prisoners. ""
Message for Wayne... Searching info about Lancaster DV308, i see your question about the crash location, i know it exacly, in 2012, we create with the mayor of village a memorial, i can send you all info and pictures about that event ... gw
Wayne If you contact Sgt Glen Turner on firstname.lastname@example.com he has a copy of 75 Sqns F540 so may be able to give you more information about 75 Sqn but Errol Martyn is a very good source too.... Dee


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To celebrate the relaunch of their Gold Passport loyalty program, Hyatt is giving away thousands of prizes at their promotional site "The Big Welcome". I wrote about their contests last week, and how you can enter to win 365 nights and one million frequent flier miles.
To increase your chances of winning something cool, Hyatt is offering 5 lucky Gadling readers the chance to win their own free night at any Hyatt in the world (excluding Quebec).
Starting today, and for the next 4 days, you'll be able to answer a simple question, leave your response in the comments, and keep your fingers crossed.
To enter today's contest, answer the following question:
What is the point bonus on each stay for Hyatt Gold Passport Diamond members?
Leave your answer in the comments below and don't forget to come back for the 4 remaining Hyatt free night giveaways!
- To enter, simply leave a comment answering the question posted above.
- The comment must be left before Monday April 13th 2009 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time.
- You may enter each of the 5 daily Hyatt giveaways only once.
- One Prize Winner will be randomly selected to receive one free night in a standard hotel room at any Hyatt hotel in the world, excluding Quebec.
- There is no requirement to sign up for a Gold Passport account for entering the contest unless you are selected as a winner. If you are selected as a winner, the free night will be credited to your Hyatt Gold Passport account and can be cashed in much like frequent flier miles. Winners can sign up for a Gold Passport account at no cost.
- Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, and the District of Columbia who are 18 and older.
- The total value of each prize is approximately $190
- Click here for the complete official rules of this giveaway.


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The sky was on fire when I ran inside to get the camera. By the time I got back out to take some pictures, it had cooled to this beautiful pink. I love the way the palm tree is silhouetted against the sky.
What you can't see, but I can hopefully describe now, is how the entire sky cast a soft pink glow down on the entire world from the mountains, to our house, to the street in front of it.
Hrm. It's not the same, but if you were lucky, maybe you got to see something like it with your own eyes tonight.
(Click the image to go to Flickr where you can embiggen and see a couple other shots I took.)


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Home >
News & Policies >
May 2004
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
May 7, 2004
Interview of the President by Al-Ahram International
The Map Room
May 6, 2004
Q I have learned that President Mubarak sent you, recently, two important messages. I don't know, I mean, the contents of these messages, but I assume that of course it be linked by the situation in Iraq, and Palestine. I would like to ask, in the beginning, one general question about how do you look at this vision of the Middle East.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, first of all, I communicate with President Mubarak a lot, because I value his judgment, and we've got a frank relationship where, if he thinks things are going badly, he'll tell me. In other words, he doesn't gloss over.
I think that things in the Middle East for the United States are difficult right now. I think they're difficult because people don't really understand our intentions. I think they're difficult because some people ascribe bad values and bad motives to the American people and the American government.
Our intentions are to work for free societies and peaceful societies. Our intentions are to protect our own security, on the one hand, but also enable people to live in peace. Obviously, our reputation has been damaged severely by the terrible and horrible acts, inhumane acts that were conducted on Iraqi prisoners. Today, I can't tell you how sorry I am to them and their families for the humiliation.
I'm also sorry because people are then able to say, look how terrible America is. But this isn't America, that's not -- Americans are appalled at what happened. We're a generous people. I don't think a lot of people understand that. So I've got to do a better job of explaining to people that we're for a lot of things that most people who live in the Middle East want. We want there to be peace. We want people to have a living. We want people to send their kids to schools that work. We want there to be health care. We want there to be a Palestinian state at peace with its neighbors. We want there to be reform. We want people to have a chance to participate in the process.
But I'd say right now times are tough for the United States and the Middle East.
Q I have four topics, Mr. President: Iraq, the Israeli-Arab issue, the so-called greater Middle East, and bilateral -- which one do you choose of them Mr. President?
THE PRESIDENT: Whatever you want to do, sir, you're the distinguished journalist.
Q Thank you very much, indeed. Okay, I will shoot for the Arab-Israeli conflict.
THE PRESIDENT: Okay.
Q Many Arabs feel that after the letter of assurances you gave to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, any future Palestinian state would exist on less than half what the partition plan offered them in '47. How do you reconcile this with a moral concept of justice?
THE PRESIDENT: First of all, I made it very clear in my letter that I recognized circumstances had changed -- but I made it very clear of a couple of very important points. One, that any final status would be negotiated by the parties -- that would be the Israelis and the Palestinians -- not the United States, we won't pre-judge final status.
Secondly, I made it clear that I supported what the Prime Minister had done, because I think it's a great opportunity for the establishment of a Palestinian state. I'm the first President ever to have articulated the vision of a Palestinian state.
Q I'm writing here, and I wanted to appreciate that very highly.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I'll tell you, and I'm somewhat amazed, sir, that the debate has already started about what the end results are going to look like when we haven't even really begun yet to establish a state. I think the focus ought to be on putting the institutions in place for a Palestinian state that is peaceful and prosperous to emerge.
I think it's very important for reform-minded Palestinians to step up and ask the world for help, in order to build the security apparatus needed for a state to grow; ask for education help; ask for help to stimulate the entrepreneurial class so businesses will grow. I believe it'll happen. And when it does happen, the final status issues will be much easier to solve.
In other words, when there is a state that's up and running and prosperous and has the confidence of Egypt and Israel and America and the E.U. and the rest of the world, it'll be much easier for these final -- these tricky issues to be solved between the two parties. And so now is the time not to be arguing over what the world will look like down the road. We ought to be arguing about what the world can look like this year. And that's why the road map is so important.
The United States is firmly committed TO the road map. I'm sending a letter to the -- I announced today I'm going to send a letter to the Palestinian Prime Minister explaining that I'm committed to the road map, committed to two states living side-by-side in peace, but also reminding him it's now time to step up and show leadership, show leadership against the terrorists, and show leadership in putting the institutions in place for a state to emerge.
Q The right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homeland and to be provided with compensation is legally assured in several U.N. resolutions.
THE PRESIDENT: Right.
Q The United States has also traditionally supported the right of refugees to return in recent major conflicts. How would you then justify making the Palestinian refugees an exception for accepted international laws under human rights conventions?
THE PRESIDENT: My comment, again, was this, that -- and the right of refugees is a final-status issue. And that's to be negotiated on between the Palestinians and the Israelis. When I said what has changed and what will change is when there's a Palestinian state to which Palestinians can go. There hasn't been one. And my point was, was that when a state is set up and the institutions are in place and people have a chance to make a living and it's peaceful, the entrepreneurial class is growing, small businesses, people are participating in the political process, that that's going to change the dynamic on the ground.
I fully concede there's a lot -- the compensation issue is an issue that's still being negotiated. The rights of -- you know, the rights of Palestinians to return to Israel will be negotiated. But what I'm telling you is when a state emerges, it'll change the dynamic. And that's all I said in my comment.
Again, I'll repeat to you, people want to focus on the future, when I think we ought to be focused right now on the right now, which is what is necessary to put a Palestinian state in place so people can have a chance to live in a hopeful society. And I'm frustrated, I must tell you, a little bit, because I think that -- I think that there needs to be better leadership in saying, what can we do to help the Palestinian people develop a state. And there needs to be a new constitution, it seems like to me.
And some of these reforms stalled. Heck, we've been talking about them for about two years, unfortunately. But now is an opportunity. And I think Prime Minister Sharon created an interesting dynamic, I really do, and that is withdrawal from the West Bank. You know, it wasn't all that long ago if an Israeli Prime Minister stood up and said, we're out of Gaza and parts of the West Bank, people would have said, that's fantastic. And so the Prime Minister makes the decision to get out and, of course, his own party rejects it, which speaks to -- it speaks to his leadership, in my judgment, that he's willing to do what he thinks is right, in face of political opposition.
Q But do you really agree that pragmatic realities mean annexation of other lands?
THE PRESIDENT: Do I think --
Q Do you agree on that, I mean, that pragmatic realities which, I mean, being said repeatedly here in the states, pragmatic realities -- pragmatic realities --
THE PRESIDENT: You mean, with the conditions on the ground?
Q Does it mean annexation of other people's land?
THE PRESIDENT: I think what it means is, I think you're going to see over time with the emergence of a Palestinian state that the West Bank will be occupied by Palestinians. And to the extent to what the final border looks like is up for negotiations.
Q Again, we very much appreciate the fact that you were the first U.S. President to call for the creation of an independent Palestinian state. But in all the recent proposals that are being circulated, including the latest disengagement plan, we did not see any specific timetable. What happened to your pledge to create a Palestinian state by 2005? And do you still believe that this could be possible?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, 2005 may be hard, since 2005 is right around the corner. I readily concede the date has slipped some, primarily because violence sprung up. When I laid out the date of 2005, I believe it was around the time I went to Aqaba, Jordan. It was a very meaningful moment, where former Prime Minister Abu Mazen, myself, Prime Minister Sharon and His Majesty, the King of Jordan, stood up and pledged to work together.
But we hit a bump in the road -- violence, as well as Abu Mazen was replaced, which changed the dynamic. I don't want to make any excuses, but nevertheless, I think the timetable of 2005 isn't as realistic as it was two years ago. Nevertheless, I do think we ought to push hard as fast as possible to get a state in place.
And I repeat to you, sir, that part of my frustrations were alleviated with the Quartet making the statement it made the other day -- the Quartet being the E.U., Russia, United Nations and the United States, working together. I think we can get the World Bank involved. But there is a certain sense of responsibility that falls upon the Palestinians, reform-minded Palestinians to step up and say, yes, we accept these institutions necessary for a peaceful state to emerge.
There's also a responsibility for Egypt. Egypt has got, in my judgment, an important role to play to help make sure there is security in Gaza, as the civil structure is put in place and as the government structure is put in place. And President Mubarak, I think, is willing to assume that responsibility over time -- I don't want to put him on a timetable, but I do believe he is committed to helping bring security to that part of the world, it's in Egypt's interest that there be security.
Q You know, Mr. President, we did our best, I mean, getting all the factions together in Cairo, Egypt to try to convince them to have one single opinion, and that we're ready for training the police and security guards.
THE PRESIDENT: That's right. President Mubarak has been a leader on the issue of security, he really has. As you say, he's convened a very important meeting to make it clear that in order for there to be a peaceful evolution of a state there has to be security, and that he's willing to train police. Egypt plays a mighty important role. And it's a great country and it should play an important role.
Q You have said, Mr. President, in recent statements, that the assurances you gave to Sharon did not differ from what was being discussed, and what we mentioned now, and previous final status talks. But in those talks there were proposals on land swaps and an Israeli acceptance for the return of a limited number of refugees. Why were these proposals absent from your recent letters?
THE PRESIDENT: Look, I want to assure you once again that I understand the sensitivity of these final status issues. But they will be negotiated, not between the United States and the parties, they're negotiated between Israel and the Palestinian government, of a new state. And that's really -- and that is a position I've taken all along. It's what I told my friend, President Mubarak. I just told that to His Majesty, the King of Jordan. And I will explain that consistent position of mine.
People -- I think some people are trying to read something into what I said or didn't say. And what -- you know, I'll say it finely one more time: This is an opportunity that we can't let go by. There's a lot of argument about final status issues, and they're very important issues, don't get me wrong. But the focus ought to be on how do we get a Palestinian state up and running and moving forward.
Q You have praised Sharon's proposal to withdraw from Gaza, which is an idea that does not represent more than one percent of (inaudible) Palestine. Would you accept guarantee for granting Palestinians similar letter of assurances stating that any annexation of West Bank territory has to be minimal and that Israel has to pull out from nearly the entire West Bank, according to Security Resolution 242 and 338?
THE PRESIDENT: No, I will write -- I will say the exact same thing in a letter to the Palestinians that I have said publicly today, that I believe an opportunity exists and it's essential that the Palestinian Authority find reform-minded leaders who are willing to step up and lead.
Q The last question on Israeli-Arab issue, you have repeatedly -- repeatedly stated that Israel had the right to defend itself. But do you believe that by building walls and settlements and by assassinating Palestinian leaders, Israel is enhancing security and helping and reassuring peace talks?
PRESIDENT BUSH: I think that any country has a right to defend herself. And you're looking at a President who is now in the process of defending my country against terrorist attacks. It is very difficult for the President of the United States to condemn anybody for defending themselves.
My problem with the wall was not the security aspect of the wall. My problem with the wall was that at one point in time, it looked like it was trying to prejudge any final status. And that I hope -- my hope is, at one point in time, the wall is unnecessary. The hope is, is that a peaceful Palestinian state, that -- I keep saying that, but I think it's possible -- but a peaceful Palestinian state must be a state in which youngsters are well-educated, and have a chance to make a living, and have a chance to -- parents have a chance to realize -- raise their children in a peaceful setting.
And I think that a peaceful Palestinian state will eventually change the dynamics on that which exists on the ground today.
Q Okay. I thank you, very much, for your patience. I will move to the other topic, Iraq.
THE PRESIDENT: Sure. Sure.
Q You said yesterday that you first learned of the abuses of Abu Ghraib and other prison -- and other prisons, in Iraq generally. Why has it taken so long to adopt serious measures against those directly responsible and their commanders?
THE PRESIDENT: First of all, I learned about the fact that there was an investigation going on. I did not know the extent of the abuse. And there was a report done as a result of those investigations. And what you're hearing here in America is, why didn't I see the report? And that's a good question. That's one of the questions I'm asking, because I first saw about the pictures on television screens.
But one of the things you've got to understand about our country is that, one, we reject this kind of treatment of people. It's abhorrent. And it's not America. Your viewers have to understand, this is not our country. Secondly, that we will fully investigate. Now, there's a difference between fully investigating and rushing to judgment. We will investigate. And there's a procedure in the military that is necessary to make sure that the guilty are truly guilty. It's very important for the Commander-in-Chief not to prejudge.
Thirdly, the process will be transparent. Your viewers have got to know that here in America, in our system, the judicial process will be fully transparent. And you're beginning to see the transparency. The press corps wants to know different questions. And those questions need to be answered.
Tomorrow, our Secretary of Defense, in whom I've got confidence and believe in, will go up and testify at the United States Senate. So you'll see the process evolve as to -- and the truth come out, as to why the military needed to take the time necessary to fully investigate these horrible, horrible acts.
And I repeat to you, sir, I am sorry for the humiliation suffered by those individuals. It makes me sick to my stomach to see that happen.
I'll tell you what else I'm sorry about. I'm sorry that the truth about our soldiers in Iraq becomes obscured. In other words, we've got fantastic citizens in Iraq; good kids; good soldiers, men and women who are working every day to make Iraqi citizens' lives better. And there are a thousand acts of kindness that take place every day of these great Americans who really do care about the citizens in Iraq. It's an awful, awful period for the American people, just like it's awful for the Iraqi citizens to see that on their TV screens.
Q Again, sir, do you feel like you need to apologize to the Iraqis and the Arab world after you said that, "I'm sorry"?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I'm sorry for the prisoners, I really am. I think it's humiliating. And it is, again -- what the Arab world must understand is a couple of things. One, under a dictatorship, these -- this wouldn't be transparent. In other words, if there was torture under a dictator, we would never know the truth. In a democracy, you'll know the truth. And justice will be done. And that's what people need to know.
Q What are the main pillars of the upcoming Security Council resolution on Iraq? How much control are you ready to cede to the United Nations and the future Iraqi government?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think the Iraqi government wants the sovereignty. And I think that's the proper -- the proper relationship is for the Iraqi -- the sovereignty to be passed to the Iraqi government with help from coalition, as well as the United Nations. I'll tell you a very good role for the United Nations is to help set up the elections that will take place in January of 2005. And the United Nations Security Council resolution is important, because it says to members of the world, please participate in helping this government grow.
But the sovereignty -- Iraqi people want to run the government themselves. That's not to say they don't want help; of course they want help. But they want to run their government. Frankly, you hear frustrations about America there in Iraq. And I can understand that, because the Iraq -- nobody wants their government run for them. The people of Iraq want to run their own government, and that's what will happen.
Q How long do you think the United States will stay in Iraq?
THE PRESIDENT: As long as necessary, and not one day more.
Q A recent Gallup Poll showed that 71 percent of Iraqis considered the United States an occupying power. Does this disappoint you?
THE PRESIDENT: No, listen, I understand. I mean, if I were an Iraqi and I saw people -- was asked, am I happy that somebody is running my government for me -- which basically is what the question implies -- the answer would be, no, we want to run our government ourselves. And that's why we're transferring sovereignty.
I'll tell you, however, the Iraqi people understand that America needs to be around for a while to help make sure that the killers --the foreign fighters who are there, disgruntled former Saddamists -- don't wreak havoc. There are thousands of Iraqis losing their lives at the hands of these killers. And they are -- and they need help right now, until security -- Iraqi security forces are efficient, are formed in a way that will be able to be responsive to the dangers of these few people. It is essential that there be a secure environment as Iraq emerges from this period of tyranny. And they want our help there. They also want the reconstruction aid.
Q And it has been delayed a lot.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, it has, for a reason. Early in the winter there was fast movement on the reconstruction projects. I mean, there's some wonderful things that have happened in Iraq, which of course don't get mentioned very often.
For example, I'll tell you an interesting thing that's happened, is that the currency, the old currency was replaced by a new currency in about a six or seven month period of time. That's hard to do. And, yet, it was done without a lot of arbitrage, a lot of counterfeiting, theft -- there was no theft. And the currency is stable, which is a remarkable feat, when you think about it. The electricity levels were climbing quite dramatically. The oil production, which is Iraqi oil production, it's not American, it's -- Iraq owns the oil -- it's up to about two-and-a-half million barrels a day.
So in other words, there were positive signs going on. And then we had this period of fighting, where elements in society decided to fight, because they saw freedom coming and they wanted to try and stop it, is what they're trying to do. And we took them on and are defeating them.
What's happening now is that big projects are starting back up again, because the security situation is a little better, and big companies are moving in with these reconstruction projects. It will start back up, and Iraq will be better for it.
Q I am aware of a very emotional meeting that took place recently between you and the Iraqi women delegation --
THE PRESIDENT: Yes.
Q -- and met you there with lots of tears.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, there were.
Q Do you care to share the details of that meeting with us?
THE PRESIDENT: Only because you asked. I did have the honor of welcoming a group of women to the Oval Office. I was told ahead of time that some members of the delegation did not want to come in the Oval Office because they didn't want to get their picture taken, because they were afraid -- not of American reaction, but of reaction back home. In other words, there is still fear in people's heart.
I met with those ladies later. The door opened to the Oval Office and the first woman that walked in looked at me and she burst out in tears, and said, "You are my liberator." It touched my heart, it really did. And I, of course -- I held her in my arms and tears came to my eyes as she cried out of joy. It really made me feel great. She said, "Thank you, Mr. President. You liberated us." I said, "No, the American people helped liberate you." And then another lady came in and another lady came in. We had about six of us in our office.
And it was a touching meeting. These were people that were obviously somewhat taken aback that they were in with the President of the United States. And, yet, when they were with me, it was deeply emotional. It touched my heart. I still remember it clearly today. It made me very joyous inside to think that people who had been enslaved to tyranny, fearful of torture, probably had friends in mass graves, would be so thankful for the chance to live in peace.
And I'll tell you what's really important for the people -- those people, those women, and I think about them all the time, is for me to never show any weakness in the face of the dangers in Iraq. In other words, those killers want us to leave. But my attitude is, having met with these women, if we leave, they will be in jeopardy. And I have an obligation, no matter how difficult it gets, to stay strong on behalf of those women, and their chance to raise their children in freedom.
The other day I had the Olympic Committee from Iraq come, two members of the Olympic Committee. It was an exciting moment. I love sports, for starters. And the head of the women's Olympic committee came. She was a former runner. And she told me about her two-year-old son and one-year-old son. She had quit the Olympic team because she didn't want to run for one of Saddam's sons, for fear of her life. And yet she was so grateful for the freedom she has. It's heartening.
I met with Fulbright Scholars, young Iraqis that are here studying in the United States. I met with Doctors from Iraq who are getting new training -- all of whom are desperate for there to be a free society so they can live in peace. And that's why we share the same goal.
Q On greater Middle East, Mr. President, has your vision on the greater Middle East initiative changed at all, in light of recent reactions from Arab and European countries? What will be presented to the G8 leaders in their meeting next month?
THE PRESIDENT: My vision for the greater Middle East reforms were strengthened by the Alexandria Library Conference. You might have heard of that. (Laughter.) I saw the spirit of that conference. There are people in the Middle East who understand the need for reforms.
Now, when I talk about reforms, I fully understand the pace of reform will be different from country to country. But, nevertheless, there has to be a commitment to reform for a better life for every citizen. I am as strong today on reforms in the greater Middle East as I have ever been.
I fully understand criticism. I mean, I get criticized all the time in my job. I think the job of a leader is to have a vision, a vision that is hopeful and optimistic, and one based upon certain principles -- a principle like rule of law; a principle like human dignity by empowering individuals to make decisions in the political process; a principle that every person deserves respect; a principle that says that a peaceful society is more likely to be one that is a free society. And, therefore, I won't abandon those principles, no matter how significant the pressure.
Q Last question --
THE PRESIDENT: Okay, one more question. Then we've got to go.
Q Why does your administration insist on imposing sanctions against Syria?
THE PRESIDENT: Because they will not fight terror, and they won't join us in fighting terror. We've asked them to do some things, and they haven't responded. And Congress passed a law saying that if Syria will not join -- for example, booting out a Hezbollah office out of Damascus -- that the President has the right to put sanctions on.
I have yet to impose a sanction yet, but the bill enables me to do so. And we've talked to the Syrian leader very clearly -- and these aren't -- these are reasonable requests -- and thus far, he hasn't heeded them. And that's why, if I make the decision to put on sanctions, it will be because he hasn't been a full partner in the war against terror.
Q That would create another -- more problems in the area.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, we'll see. But I think that -- I think that people need to understand that there needs to be a full commitment. I mean, there's no need to harbor people who are expressing hatred. And if the world would join together to rout out terrorist organizations who want to kill innocent people, it would be a heck of a lot better off.
See, here's my objection. We've got Muslims killing Muslims in Iraq. There are Muslims who will kill an innocent Muslim, for the sake of trying to create fear. We can't let that happen. Civilized people must not allow that to happen. What they're trying to do is they're trying to shake our will, our collective will. For those of us who love freedom, they were trying to say, well, don't work for freedom, leave us alone so we can kill other people. We just can't let that happen. There are too many peaceful people who need protection. And we want to help them. And, most importantly, we want to help them help themselves, so they can be self-governing in Iraq.
But the killing of innocent life for political purposes is not acceptable in the 21st century. And you know that, and I believe that.
Q I assure you that, you know, the Arab people really have nothing against the American people. Maybe the only -- the only issue is the Palestinian-Israeli --
THE PRESIDENT: -- Israeli issue, yes.
Q -- and the American bias to it.
THE PRESIDENT: I hope we can get that solved. I mean, I truly believe that a peaceful state will emerge. And, listen, I've got great respect for Arab culture; I've got great respect for the Muslim religion. I reject this notion that this is a war against Muslims. This is not a war against Muslims. The Muslim religion is a peaceful religion. Islam is peace. This is a war against evil people who want to kill innocent life. That's what this is.
And it is -- they've killed in our country. They've killed in your country. They killed a great man in Sadat. And it's essential that freedom-loving people and peaceful people fight terror. It's the call of our time; it's the challenge of the 21st century. And we've got to work together to do so.
And I appreciate you giving me a chance to visit and share my views to the people who need to learn more about our intentions and our deep desire for peace.
Q I do thank you very, very, very much.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, sir.
Q And I hope to see you very soon.
THE PRESIDENT: Good job. Very good job. Very good interview.


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Of Dalmore Distinction
The Constellation Collection and the Dalmore Selected by Daniel Boulud.
"Whisky runs in my blood," says Richard Paterson, spirited ambassador for the Dalmore and a third-generation whisky man. Paterson's skill at tasting, assessing, and blending whiskies has become so acute he is affectionately known in the trade as "the Nose".


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Regional Resource Stewardship Council
Comprising members of regional government, customers, academia and advocacy groups, the Regional Resource Stewardship Council (RRSC) helps advise TVA in its efforts to manage the Tennessee River system against competing priorities and still provide maximum recreational benefit for all the residents of the Tennessee Valley.
TVA manages the Tennessee River system and its associated lands to provide multiple benefits for all the people of the TVA region. That's why it has formed the Regional Resource Stewardship Council, through which the citizens of the region can participate in the important decisions TVA makes regarding the management of the river and its ecosystem.
The Council was first convened in March 2000, and its charter was renewed for a 12 th term in August 2022. Since its inception, the Council has provided recommendations and advice to TVA on the agency's stewardship activities, including reservoir operations, public-land planning and management, water supply, recreation, infrastructure operation, maintenance and emergency preparedness. It has also provided comments on TVA's public participation efforts.
Council Members
The members of the council represent public and private stakeholders who benefit from TVA's management of the river system and public lands. Members are nominated by the governors of the seven states in the TVA power service area, the distributors of TVA power, TVA's directly served customers and other stakeholders. Meet the council members.
The meetings of the council are open to the public. View the proceedings for past meetings.
Federal Guidelines
All meetings are established under the guidelines of the Federal Advisory Committee Act.


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BEIRUT, Lebanon- An activist Jesuit priest who spent three years living alongside besieged civilians and rebels in the Syrian city of Homs was assassinated Monday, according to the Vatican, which said he was abducted by unidentified gunmen who beat him before executing him in front of his monastery.
Father Francis Van Der Lugt, 75, a Dutch Jesuit priest, came to Syria in 1966 and eventually founded a home for children and adults with mental disabilities outside Homs, where he lived before the three-year-old civil war started. After fighting began, he relocated to the rebel-held neighborhood of Bustan al Diwan in Homs Old City, where he worked with refugees and civilians during the more than two-year-old siege by regime forces.
"I can confirm that he's been killed," Jan Stuyt, secretary of the Dutch Jesuit Order, told the news agency Agence France-Presse by phone.
"A man came into his house, took him outside and shot him twice in the head. In the street in front of his house," he said, adding the priest would be buried in Syria "according to his wishes."
His bodyguard, who'd been supplied by the mainstream rebel Free Syrian Army, was wounded in the attack. Because of Van Der Lugt's high-profile role in condemning the Syrian regime for its blockade of Homs, some activists accused the regime of assassinating him. Islamic radicals with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria _ a rogue al Qaida group _ have been repeatedly accused of targeting clergy and churches and are also considered suspects, according to rebel officials.
In a statement, a spokesman for the Jesuit order spoke of Van Der Lugt's dedication to sharing the suffering of the ordinary citizens he'd lived alongside for more than 40 years.
He "died as a man of peace, who with great courage in an extremely dangerous and difficult situation wanted to remain faithful to the Syrian people to whom he had dedicated so many years of his life and spiritual service," the Rev. Federico Lombardi said. "Where people die, their faithful shepherds also die with them. In this time of great sorrow, we express our participation in prayer, but also great pride and gratitude for having had a brother so close to the most suffering in the testimony of the love of Jesus to the end."
Van Der Lugt refused to leave central Homs earlier in the year as a U.N.-brokered cease-fire allowed some 1,400 starving residents to leave the area, citing his concern for those who remained behind for fear of arrest by the regime of President Bashar Assad.
"The Syrian people have given me so much, so much kindness, inspiration and everything they have. If the Syrian people are suffering now, I want to share their pain and their difficulties," he told Agence France-Presse in an interview just before the U.N. evacuation.
"The faces of people you see in the street are weak and yellow. Their bodies are weakened and have lost their strength," he asked. "What should we do, die of hunger?"
Syria has some of the oldest churches and monasteries in Christianity, with dozens that date back more than 1,500 years. Occasionally, Christians and their churches have been caught in the middle of an increasingly sectarian civil war that's pitted Sunni Muslims against Syria's other minorities, including the dominate Alawite sect, which receives substantial political and economic support from Christian communities.
In another high-profile incident, fighters for the al Qaida-linked Nusra Front took custody of a dozen Greek Orthodox nuns late last year after their monastery in the ancient city of Maaloula fell into rebel hands. Although the nuns reported being well treated after their release earlier this year, they were exchanged for regime-held prisoners.
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria is strongly suspected of orchestrating last year's kidnapping of an Italian priest, Father Paolo Dall'Oglio, who'd lived in Syria for decades before being expelled by the regime for his rebel sympathies. He returned to Syria through rebel-held Aleppo and disappeared while attempting to negotiate a truce between warring rebel factions. His fate remains unknown, according to Italian authorities working on the case.
Photo: Dutch Father Francis Van Der Lugt, 75, shown in Homs, Syria


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Division of Planning Issues RFP to Develop Integrated Plans for Economic Development, Housing, and Growth
November 30, 2012 (Providence, R.I.) — Governor Lincoln D. Chafee today announced an important step forward in efforts to build a sustainable and prosperous future for Rhode Island. Over the next two years, the state will develop detailed strategies to mobilize state and community assets in a coordinated way through the creation of a statewide plan for sustainable development that integrates economic development, land use, housing, and transportation.
The Rhode Island Division of Planning issued the request for proposal (RFP) as part of a $2.3 million initiative funded in large part by a grant from the Federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities. The Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, the Rhode Island Departments of Environmental Management and Transportation, and fifteen other state, municipal, and non-profit partners join the Division of Planning in leading this effort to develop comprehensive action steps for the state.
"The surest way for Rhode Island to achieve a prosperous future is through capitalizing on our considerable existing assets," Governor Chafee said. "Through a proactive, strategic, and thorough planning process, we have an opportunity to identify a pathway to a better Rhode Island with improved quality of life for the people of our state."
1. Economic Development: Create a unified economic development strategy for the state that integrates business growth with land use and transportation choices.
2. Housing: Create a single state housing plan that consolidates existing plans and encompasses all housing needs, particularly those of working families.
3. Growth Centers: Promote growth where the state's infrastructure can best support it by mapping natural, cultural, and economic assets to guide the best use of limited resources.
4. Social Equity and Public Participation: Ensure that the outcomes of the plans are equitable for all Rhode Islanders by engaging a broad range of the state's population in their development.
5. Technical Assistance and Capacity Building: Build the skills, abilities, and resources of state agencies, municipalities, and community partners to speed implementation of the plans' recommendations.
6. Implementation: Develop detailed implementation plans, including performance measures and indicators, to ensure that the goals and strategies of the project are realized.
The work will incorporate the economic data analysis on the state's regional performance and strengths and weaknesses announced by the Governor on November 9, 2012. The state will use the data and information compiled to develop short- and long-term economic development strategies for the state that are tied to those for housing and growth.
"The economic data analysis will feed directly into our efforts to develop a comprehensive, long-term strategy that integrates economic development, land use, housing, environmental issues, and transportation," said Kevin Flynn, Director of the Division of Planning. "We have an opportunity to take a new approach that unites the efforts of multiple state agencies and community partners in order to create a stronger more equitable Rhode Island."
The RFP is available from the Rhode Island Division of Purchases; the deadline for submittals is January 3, 2013 at 2:00 p.m., and a pre-bid meeting will be held on December 12, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. at the Department of Administration. The state expects to select a consultant team and begin work on the project in spring 2013 with completion expected in 2014. For more information on the RFP, contact Melanie Army, Principal Planner, Division of Planning (401-222-6183 or email@example.com).
The Federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities is a collaboration of HUD, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Transportation. The Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant Program supports metropolitan and multi-jurisdictional planning efforts that integrate housing, land use, economic and workforce development, transportation, and infrastructure investments.
To download the RFP: https://www.purchasing.ri.gov/RIVIP/StateAgencyBids/7458306.pdf


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Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts is a national art education center. The School offers weekend, one- and two-week workshops for the beginner to advanced artist, taught by national and international practicing studio artists and university faculty. Students work and learn in professionally equipped studios on a 14-acre residential campus in Gatlinburg, TN.
A series of weekly classes are also offered for residents of the local community. Workshops and classes are offered in ceramics, fiber, metals/jewelry, painting, drawing, photography, warm glass, woodturning, woodworking, mixed media, books and paper. An Artists-in-Residence Program provides a supportive, stimulating work and learning environment for five early-career artists during a year-long residency.
Conferences and symposia bring together artists, art educators, collectors and others to work in the studios, engage in dialogue about making art and to discuss issues and trends in the field. The public is welcome year-round to visit the campus and view artwork by local, national and international artists in the School's five galleries, which offer a full schedule of changing exhibitions, attend evening presentations, and visit the Artists-in-Residence studios. The Marian Heard Library and Resource Center includes print and electronic materials for research, and displays work from the School's permanent collection. The Artist Outfitters Store offers tools and supplies for students on campus and artists in the community.
For the most up-to-date hours and information, please contact Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts directly.


text: Today we are going to demonstrate how to roast asparagus. Begin by preheating your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Lay your bunch of fresh asparagus that have been washed and the woody ends trimmed off, onto a rimmed baking sheet. Make sure that you have them in one single layer for even roasting. Drizzle the asparagus with one or two tablespoons of a good quality olive oil. Next sprinkle the asparagus with either regular table salt or sea salt. Gently shake the baking pan to evenly distribute the oil and salt onto the asparagus; use your hands if you need to. Get the asparagus back into a single layer. Place your asparagus into the preheated oven and allow it to roast for 11 to 17 minutes. Once or twice during the roasting time you will need to shake the pan in order turn the asparagus to allow for even roasting. For more great information on cooking asparagus, including recipes, visit RecipeTips.com.


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220 Millard Ave. SW
Cokato, MN 55321 Mailing/Shipping:
260 Jenks Ave. SW
Cokato, MN 55321
- 320.286.2578 - Phone
- 320.286.2467 - Fax
When compared to horizontal platen systems, vertical systems typically:
Ultra-Rigid Construction utilizing a tubular steel framework with leveling feet and linear guide shafts & bearings designed for precise tool alignment through decades of use.
Hydraulic System with Proportional Valve Control and Linear Position Transducers offers improved control and reduced machine and coating wear by user programmed variable tool mounting jaws and heat platen carriage pressures and speeds, including soft-touch contact of part halves to heat platen (Melt) and each other (Weld/Seal).
Digitial Two-Zone Temperature Control via PLC with Heater Burnout Alarm ensures even heating and precise temperature control with temperature alarm limits. Burnout alarm halts operation of the machine in the event of platen heater failure.
Programmable Automatic Machine and Heat Platen Startup (Time/Date Based) saves production time as the machine can be user programmed to automatically initialize warm-up of heat platen and hydraulic system before start of production.
Allen Bradley CompactLogix PLC with PanelView Plus 7 - 700 Color 6.5in Touch-Screen Graphical Display simplifies parameter input and allows the following to be displayed:
Multi-Level Passcode Protection limits parameter adjustment to qualified personnel only.
25 Weld Program/Setup Memory allows storage for instant recall, minimizing tool change time.
External 120VAC Duplex Electrical Outlet allows user to easily connect small auxiliary equipment such as computers, printers, radios, etc.
Dual Venturi 25.0 in/Hg (63.5cm/Hg) Vacuum Pump System designed to secure even the largest parts within the tooling.
Pneumatic Power Sliding Safety Door with Zero Force Cycle Activation Switch provides optimum personnel protection while reducing operator fatigue.
Hinged Access Panels with Safety Interlock Switches allow extensive access while providing maximum personnel protection.
Vent Hood with Exhaust Fan evacuates airborne smoke and particulate from the operator location when welding at high temperatures without coatings.


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Low Country Fishing Charters
Inshore & Deep Sea Fishing Charters In Myrtle Beach, SC
Low Country Fishing Charters is the premier destination for the best fishing charter boats at Myrtle Beach, SC. Our company offers excellent customer service, and our main goal is for our clients to have a fantastic time filled with adrenaline and water activities. When you have your sights set on a Private Fishing Charter in Myrtle Beach for inshore, offshore, gulf stream, or deep sea fishing, the experienced USCG-licensed captains and fishing guides at Low Country Fishing Charters can introduce you to the beauty of the area from the water. Captains Keith Logan, David Cutler, Steve Fennell, and Chris Dawson have over 40 years of local experience offering light tackle charter packages to please tourists and locals alike."
Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is located in the center of a long and continuous 60-mile (97 km) stretch of beach known as "The Grand Strand" in the northeastern part of the state. Its year-round population was 35,682 as of the 2020 census.Myrtle Beach is one of the major centers of tourism in South Carolina and the United States. The city's warm subtropical climate, miles of beaches, 86 golf courses, and 1,800 restaurants attract over 20 million visitors each year, making Myrtle Beach one of the most visited destinations in the country.Located along the historic King's Highway (modern U.S. Route 17), the region was once home to the Waccamaw people. During the colonial period, the Whither family settled in the area, and a prominent local waterway, Wither's Swash, is named in their honor.
Arrowhead Grand, Beazer Homes Harborview, Berkshire Forest, Berkshire Forest by Pulte Homes, Brighton Lakes at Carolina Forest, Broadway at the Beach, Brookberry at The Farm, Cameron Village, Clear Pond, Cypress Creek, Cypress River Plantation, Del Webb at Grande Dunes in Myrtle Beach- 55+ Retirement Community, Dunes Golf and Beach Club, Farm At Carolina Forest, Forestbrook Estates